


Peter's Game

by Programmer



Category: Ender Series - Orson Scott Card
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-08
Updated: 2014-01-08
Packaged: 2018-01-07 22:51:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1125332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Programmer/pseuds/Programmer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter enjoyed his time with Andrew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Peter's Game

One thing Peter never doubted about himself was that he was special, chosen to be precisely, even when the IF took off his monitor, even when the monitor was placed on his little sister. But it all changed when the Third came.  
They called him Ender. That's bad news for his self-esteem. A code name? He did not earn a code name himself, but apparently his baby brother was more capable than him judged by the government at the first sight. And they were continuously satisfied by Andrew's performance to left that monitor attached to him for four years.  
Seems he's not as special as he once thought, but special enough to make the most special one fear. That fear allowed him to manipulate Andrew, giving him the satisfaction of control, as if the universe were spinning according to his will.

It started with occasionally negative words. He never called Andrew Ender. NO. Such would imply he acknowledged his specialty, he had known that by heart though. No way did he say it out or give away even the slightest trace of that thought in front of Andrew. Instead, he'd like to call him Third, biting a bit more tongue, emphasizing he was an unwanted child to the family if not required by the government. Other foul language was just tagged along, whatever he learned from television, books or any other sources. There was always hurt in Andrew's eyes when he heard those words and Peter would look directly into him, drenching his soul in the other's well of pain.  
However it was not enough. Andrew's not like Valentine. They were all considered soft, even weak, but Andrew was actually different thing. There was something inside Andrew resembling Peter, which made him less vulnerable and more appealing to be broken at the same time. The game was called "Buggers and Astronauts". Peter's always astronaut, which means Andrew's always bugger. And bugger certainly had no right to win or bail. The bugger mask suited Andrew, presenting him as an alien that had nothing to do with Peter. When he pressed Andrew onto the floor and took off his mask, he could see the fear across the other's face. That's his favourite part of the game.

He's got distracted by school later. Other kids are just so stupid that he could lead everything to his favour. And he did. After all, those morons deserved to be exploited. Peter played along as a ruler for a while and when he found it no more entertaining, he turned his sight back to his family only to discover Valentine and Andrew had formed a cute little defence union.  
Oh, of course.  
The bullied youngest and his sympathetic sister against the horrible oldest. Cliché.  
But now he wanted to play this differently. Humiliation and physical damage were inefficient and low-level as he came to realize. Perhaps a little change would do him good.  
He took time, watching and studying Andrew. Being his usual humble camouflage, Andrew acted numb towards his school bullies, avoiding any possibility of running into each other. Peter could not fathom why - sure you didn't need to pay much attention to those lesser beings but you didn't have to let them step over you either - until he detected a hint of fear in Andrew's eyes. Fury struck him like a spaceship crushed, since when could anybody else make his little brother fear? Then he noticed the way Andrew's trembling, not because of feeling threatened but because of suppressing his impulsion to attack.  
That was Andrew's fear all along, dreading becoming a violent, cold-hearted man, dreading being _him_.

Patience was key of the whole process. He began to metamorphose Andrew by telling him his own story in school of how he was underestimated by other kids, how he treated that previous leader of that small guild so no one dared to lay a finger on him later and how he made sure that every time he taught those insubordinates a lesson they would not be able to seek vengeance in the future. Teaching Andrew the way to create a fatal wound was always an entertainment. He liked using squirrels, breaking them apart in front of Andrew, showing him where to attack if they were human. Just a practice-run, nothing serious and nobody hurt, except those dead squirrels and a kid's bleeding soul. Whispering encouraging words caused the strongest reaction. He described the ongoing tendency of bullying if Andrew kept hiding, the sweetness of dragging his enemies down and the peace he could have after fighting back. Temptation decorated his words, making Andrew close his eyes every time to hide his feelings. That's fine, because Peter knew he's suffering.  
And the day finally came. Andrew's monitor was took off and he gave his bully a deadly blow. Double pleasure. He was so pleased that he almost hugged Andrew for acting "brave".

It did not last long. Several IF officers showed up on their door steps and required family's willingness on sending Andrew to battle school.  
Along with Andrew's departure went his overwhelming satisfaction of manipulation, even five years later, he managed to have the world under his control.  
But he was Locke then and it's not the same any more.

FIN.


End file.
